* Content from souvenir booklet 1925-1975 Golden Anniversary Program
Forward from the Midlothian Fire Department
The Midlothian Fire Department wishes to take this opportunity to thank you for coming and taking part in our Golden Anniversary celebration. Our fire department is proud of its organization and accomplishments during the past fifty years. It is proud of its community and the people within it. It is proud of its ability to render a service in time of emergency or disaster. It is with pride that we ask that you read and keep this little souvenir booklet. We shall be happy to answer any questions which you may have concerning the fire service.
Organization
The Midlothian Fire Department is an organization of well trained and disciplined men. The members realize fully their obligations and responsibilities and make every effort to prevent and to fight fires and other disasters.
While this often requires much time, labor, risk and courage, it is done willingly by the firemen who believe in helping their fellow man.
The MFD belongs, as a member, to the National Fire Protection Association, the Illinois Firemen's Association, the Community Fireman's Association and are represented by their Chief in the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
State and community schools for firemen are attended by the members who go "all out" to learn. A well stocked library of textbooks, magazines and bulletins is kept up to date so that all the men can keep up with the latest techniques and innovations.
History
The Midlothian Fire Department was founded in 1925 by the Midlothian Development Association at a meeting held on January 11.
The first fire truck, a chemical engine built by American LaFrance on a Model T Ford chassis, was put in service on October 26, 1925. It served Midlothian and the areas later to become known as Crestwood, Oak Forest and Markham.
On March 17, 1927, the Village of Midlothian was incorporated and on November 1, 1927, an ordinance was passed making the Midlothian Fire Department a branch of village government.
November 29, 1929 was a black day for the fire department when its mortal enemy, "FIRE", destroyed the firehouse, the fire engine and all of the equipment. To insure the continued fire protection of the community, the firemen leased a Model T Pumper until another fire truck could be purchased. To house the equipment, the men made arrangements to use part of the Kreis Bros. Ford Garage. This remained the village fire station until January 29, 1949.
In early 1930, after a bond issue to purchase a new fire truck was defeated, the firemen took it upon themselves to buy the new apparatus for $8700.00 so that the area could be protected. On May 26, 1930 Engine #1, a 500 GPM Prospect pumper arrived. This engine went on serving the department until 1962.
Many persons have been relieved and, indeed, many lives have been saved as a result of the Inhalator and Resuscitator service which was instituted on May 17, 1933.
The firemen put their ingenuity and resources to work in 1935 when they built their own clubhouse on Waverly Ave. This building is still standing and used as a private home today.
When it became evident in 1938 that the village would not be able to purchase a badly needed second engine, the firemen, as in 1930, took it upon themselves to buy a Model T Ford pumper. In 1940 the men were again giving of themselves as they rebuilt this pumper and mounted it on a 1934 Ford Truck chassis. This unit remained in service until 1967.
A third piece of equipment was added in 1943 when the men built Squad #1, a unit to carry over two hundred items needed for fire, rescue and other emergency work.
Todays modern two-way two-channel radio on all apparatus got its start when two-way radio was added to Engine #2 in 1948.
January 29, 1949 was a day of elation as the department moved into its own brand new fire station, the finest one in the area at that time.
A welcomed addition to the department arrived in 1950 when the Ladies Auxiliary was formed. Many a hot cup of coffee on a cold night, or a cold glass of water on a hot day was received by the men at the "big ones". Their fund raising activities helped pay for much of the equipment and tools we have. We salute them on this, their "Silver Anniversary".
In 1951, when it became evident that our pumpers were becoming inadequate and the prospects of getting more modern equipment were almost non-existent, the men went on a fund raising campaign and pledge program to raise the necessary monies. This effort was successfully completed when, on October 25, 1952, a new Seagrave 750 GPM pumper was put in service.
After several weeks of work in their spare time, the men put "Squad #1" in service on February 18, 1954 replacing the old Squad they built in 1943. This was a used 1946 Ford Truck bought from the Chicago Insurance Patrol, rebuilt by the men.
Again in 1956 the men spent many hours of their spare time, this time building a training tower. All of the men who have joined the department since that time have received a large portion of their training in that building.
1956 also saw the hiring of Frank Wiswell as our first full time Fire Chief.
Engine #4, a new Seagrave 750 GPM pumper arrived on November 2, 1957. This was the first piece of apparatus to be purchased with tax monies since the inception of the department in 1925.
1959 Brought two more pieces of apparatus. A 1951 Chevrolet Sedan was added to be used as an Inhalator Squad. Also, a 1950 Ford Truck to replace Squad #1 was put in service after many hours of spare time was devoted to reworking it to suit the department needs. This unit became known as Patrol #1.
Old Engine #1 finally "gave out" in 1962 after 32 years of service and in December a used 1948 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper replaced it.
In April of 1963 a new International Station Wagon, purchased with funds raised by the Ladies Auxiliary dance, replaced the old Chevy Inhalator Squad #1.
Aerial apparatus came to the MFD when, on May 1, 1967, Truck #1, a new Seagrave combination 85 foot ladder and 750 GPM pumper went into service.
The fire station was too small to efficiently hold all the apparatus by this time so, in 1967 the men, with their labor and the village buying materials, embarked on a project to build an addition to the station. This was completed in 1968 and was truly: "THE HOUSE THAT PRIDE BUILT".
Necessity dictated that all items of rescue, salvage, forcible entry and ventilation carried on Patrol #1 be more readily available so a new body was designed by the men and on September 15, 1968 a new unit, Rescue #1, mounted on an International chassis, was put into service.
On October 1, 1968 a big step forward was taken when a plan was put into effect to have men on duty around the clock, manned by the volunteers on a part-time basis. There was one man on duty during the day and three men on duty at night.
A new Seagrave 1250 GPM pumper with a "SQURT", an elevating boom for large volume fire streams, went into service August 10, 1973.
Full-time firemen were added to the department on February 1, 1974 so that there would be at least three men on duty during the day with the volunteers still having three men on duty on a part-time basis at night.
Additional full-time men were hired on May 15, 1974 so that there is three full-time men on duty around the clock. The volunteers still respond to all alarms to give Midlothian as fine a fire protection service as there is anywhere.
This is the history of the first fifty years of the MIDLOTHIAN FIRE DEPARTMENT. We are proud of our accomplishments in the past and we pledge to continue our efforts to keep giving MIDLOTHIAN the finest fire protection.
No comments:
Post a Comment